Manufacturing & The Economy

On Wednesday Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Vice Chair of the Joint Economic Committee (JEC), held a hearing examining the role of women in American manufacturing. The hearing comes on the heels of a report Klobuchar released Tuesday, which found that the U.S. manufacturing industry grew by 530,000 jobs between February 2010 and April 2013, creating new opportunities for women in the field. Klobuchar called for an increased focus on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and workforce training to help more women break into the growing industry.

According to the report Klobuchar released, women currently make up 27% of the manufacturing workforce, indicating there is room for more women to take advantage of the career opportunities and high-wage jobs the industry provides.

Klobuchar has called for an increased focus on ensuring students gain valuable skills in science, technology, engineering and math at an early age. She has introduced legislation to double the number of STEM schools in America and added an amendment to the immigration bill in the Senate that would fund STEM education by increasing visa fees. Klobuchar has also promoted policies that strengthen manufacturing, including incentivizing research and development and simplifying the tax code to give businesses clarity and consistency.